Ex-SDSU lineman charged with misdemeanor assault on teammate

Former San Diego State offensive lineman Lance Louis has been charged with misdemeanor assault stemming from an altercation with another Aztecs player last November.

His arraignment is scheduled for Oct. 23 in San Diego. Louis, now a rookie with the Chicago Bears, is scheduled to play at Cincinnati two days later. He is not required to attend the arraignment in person. Louis could face jail time, a fine or both if he's convicted.

His agent, Bruce Tollner, declined comment yesterday.

Louis was accused of assaulting SDSU starting safety Nick Sandford in a team meeting room. Sandford, now a senior on the team, suffered a concussion, broken eardrum and fractured cheekbone. The alleged assault happened after Sandford had poked Louis in the rear end with a stick earlier that day in the locker room.

The case drew the ire of Sandford's father and others because it wasn't reported to SDSU police for more than two weeks and because Louis apparently wasn't disciplined for it by then-head coach Chuck Long. Sandford started seven games last year before the incident and didn't play at all in the three games afterward. Louis started all but one of SDSU's 12 games last year, including the three after the incident.

Long has declined comment. He still works at SDSU earning his $715,900 annual salary because his contract called for him to be assigned to another job on campus, doing projects through 2010. His contract says he can be terminated for statutory cause, such as material dishonesty, or prejudicial misconduct, such as violations of the university's policies.

Long had publicly claimed Sandford's concussion had occurred in practice.

When asked in August if that might qualify as “material dishonesty,” and give SDSU cause to fire Long, Athletic Director Jeff Schemmel called the question “appropriate” and referred it to the university's attorneys.